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Exploring Science Through Science Fiction

Part of the Science and Fiction Book Series

DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-7891-1

ISBN: 978-1-4614-7890-4

Publisher: Springer New York - Springer Journals

Aug 17, 2013

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Chapter 1Introduction: Discerning the Real, the Possible, and the Impossible

Luokkala, Barry B.

Pages: 1 –11

[A major goal of the present work is to increase public awareness and appreciation of science, but the approach is somewhat unorthodox. We will use science fiction as a vehicle for exploring actual science and as a springboard for discussing some of the exciting topics that are currently being...
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Chapter 2What Is the Nature of Space and Time?

Luokkala, Barry B.

Pages: 13 –42

[The most successful science fiction television series in the history of the medium is undoubtedly Doctor Who. The lead character, who calls himself the Doctor, is a Time Lord, who travels through space and time in a sentient device called the TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimensions In Space). From...
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Chapter 3What Is the Universe Made of?

Luokkala, Barry B.

Pages: 43 –79

[Having considered the nature of space and time, we now turn our attention to the stuff of the universe: what do we know about the things—both material and immaterial—which inhabit space and time? The state of our current understanding of matter and energy is both highly detailed and very...
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Chapter 4Can a Machine Become Self-Aware?

Luokkala, Barry B.

Pages: 81 –103

[One of the major characters in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation is the android Commander Data. Created by Dr. Noonien Soong, the twenty-fourth century’s foremost authority on cybernetics, Data is more than just an intelligent, humanoid robot. He is a sentient being. He is so...
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Chapter 5Are We Alone in the Universe?

Luokkala, Barry B.

Pages: 105 –121

[The commercial towing vehicle Nostromo, en route back to Earth, with its cargo of ore and crew of seven in suspended animation, intercepts a radio signal from a planetary system along the way. The ship’s computer determines that the transmission has a very high probability of originating from an...
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Chapter 6What Does It Mean to Be Human?

Luokkala, Barry B.

Pages: 123 –153

[Humans are the highest form of intelligent life on Earth. But what is it that makes us distinctly human? From a purely scientific perspective, what, if anything, sets us apart from other forms of life? Are there other important considerations, apart from the natural sciences, which might be...
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Chapter 7How Do We Solve Our Problems

Luokkala, Barry B.

Pages: 155 –175

[More often than not, science fiction movies involve crisis management. A serious problem arises—alien invaders, natural disasters, or unforeseen consequences of some new technology, to name just a few—and a solution must be found urgently. The solution requires the best scientific minds and the...
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Chapter 8What Lies Ahead?

Luokkala, Barry B.

Pages: 177 –200

[As we discussed in the previous chapter, the distant future of our technological society will depend on the decisions that are taken now and in the near future, regarding what research projects to fund or not to fund, and how to use the new discoveries that are made and the new technologies that...

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